Plane trouble
by HeleSL
Summary: Regina is flying on a plane for the first time and is nervous about it. Luckily, Emma's there to help. Romance/Friendship, however you would like to see it. Hope you enjoy it!


"We can take a plane."

Regina held her breath at Emma's suggestion. They had to go to New York again to find the map they needed. Of course they had gone there before, but for Regina it had only been by car, never by plane. She had never seen one up close, but she had seen them flying above Storybrooke's sky like tiny metal birds, and on TV. She had also heard how dangerous they might be if something went wrong.

The group nodded I agreement to Emma's words and decided that Regina, Snow, Charming and Emma herself would go to find the map.

"It is the fastest way. We go there, get it and get back in time to find the mystic sword," Snow planned.

And like that, they all parted to pack some things before leaving Storybrooke without noticing Regina's inquietude. Now she was going to be in a plane locked down on air with the Charmings and Emma. How fun. She packed a few things and wondered if there was a magic spell for her to stop being nervous.

When they arrived at the nearest airport, they barely had time to go through the airport security and get on the plane. On the bright side, Regina didn't have to share a seat with Snow or Charming since they sat together a few rows ahead, but on the other side, she had to sit with Emma.

They took their seats while the last passengers took their own seats. Regina immediately put her seatbelt on and grabbed the armrest with both hands. She saw Emma studying the plane's magazine and took the chance to close her eyes and subtly breathe in and out. However, when she opened her eyes, they met Emma's.

"Are you okay?"

Regina fixed her hair and faked superiority, "Of course. I'm just tired."

Emma nodded but saw in her eyes she didn't quite believe her. Still, she continued reading the magazine as flight attendants closed the doors and got everything ready for the take off. Once they checked all the luggage compartments were closed and all passengers were wearing the seatbelts, they proceeded to demonstrate how to wear the life vest.

Regina paid special attention to all the indications, both the emergency exits and the instructions for the life vest, and noticed Emma wasn't even listening.

"Are you not going to pay attention?"

Emma raised her gaze from the magazine to look at Regina, "I've travelled many times and the flight is only a little more than an hour long. It'll be fine."

"You don't know that for sure."

Emma stared at Regina with her eyebrows furrowed, confused at her partner's behaviour.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Regina was about to huff and say yes when Emma's eyes opened in realization, "You are afraid of flying!"

"I am not," Regina denied, but just as she said that the engine started and the plane moved slowly down the runway, making her dug her nails in the armrest.

"Of course. You've never been on a plane before. It's okay, you won't even notice we're flying."

"Easy to say," Regina muttered.

"Wait, do you want gum?"

"Do you think this is the appropriate moment for this, Miss Swan?"

Emma pulled a gum from her pocket and handed it to Regina, "It's for the take off. Some people find it hard to stand the pressure change and chewing this makes it easier."

Regina eyed the gum and looked through the window behind Emma; the plane was gaining speed and it would take off soon. She took the gum and murmured a 'thank you' for Emma, who left the magazine and looked through the window as well.

It was seconds to the take off when Emma felt Regina's hand sliding into hers, intertwining their fingers and holding it very hard. She looked at the Mayor's face: her eyes were closed and she was chewing gum like crazy. Emma couldn't help but smile at that and held Regina's hand to offer her safety. Finally, the plane elevated from the ground and flew high up the sky.

When the seatbelts sign turned off with a bleep, Emma leaned in and whispered, "It's alright."

Regina opened her eyes and looked to the window; everything was tinier than she had expected when she saw planes from her town. She was so mesmerized with the views, she forgot she was still holding Emma's hand and only realized when the sheriff moved it.

"Sorry," Regina apologized letting her go with a blush in her cheeks.

Emma massaged her hand and waved it off, "It's okay. See? It wasn't a big deal."

"Well, the gum helped. Thank you," she said so low Emma though she had imagined it.

A flight attendant walked by their seats and offered the press of the day; Emma asked for the New York Times. While she read, she saw Regina by the corner of her eyes staring through the window in awe. She suppressed a smile and spoke with her eyes still on the paper.

"You should've takes this seat."

"Excuse me?"

"By the window. I can feel you looking over my head," she clarified closing the paper. Regina only fixed her hair and stared forward. Emma took a look through the window and commented, "It feels like we're insignificant up here."

Regina followed her gaze and nodded, "It does."

They stared for a while in silence, only broken by some passenger's snore and some voices.

"It isn't that bad, right? You can barely feel we're flying," Emma said all of the sudden.

Regina shrugged, trying to maintain some of the dignity she had left, "I guess."

But Emma could see in the glass the reflection of Regina's slight smile. "Wanna switch seats? You can watch the landing without my head interfering."

"What? No, you—you can't do that."

Emma turned to try to make Regina stand up, "It doesn't matter, there are our seats. We're just switching. C'mon, you'll love it."

To this day Regina still doesn't know what made her stand up and take Emma's seat while the sheriff took hers. From there she could watch more of the ground beneath them between the clouds that partially covered whichever state they were flying across.

She let out a sigh at the view and at the feeling that overwhelmed her, not even realizing Emma's satisfied grin.

"It won't take long until we land, so enjoy the views while you can," she said before closing her eyes and resting her head on the seat.

She was awakened by Regina's whisper, "Miss Swan, the seatbelt. We're going to land soon."

Emma brushed the sleep away from her eyes and saw through the window they were slowly descending. She could see the sea from where she was sitting. The plane shook a little in a turn and Regina's back straightened.

"That is normal, it is just descending slowly and going through the clouds," she tried, but Regina was still visibly tense, so Emma reached for her pocket. "Want more gum?"

Regina looked at her and all the awe Emma had seen in her eyes was now replaced by worry. Though, she accepted the gum with a thank you and chewed it.

"Uhm, Emma? Do you mind if…?" she looked down at her hand and then back to her eyes with her eyebrows raised.

Emma held her hand like they had done before and their finger intertwined one again, "Sure."

Regina breathed a little more calmed and this time she looked through the window the whole time, just like Emma. When the plane fully stopped, they let go and sat awkwardly until the seatbelt sign turned off. Regina didn't look away from the window a little nervous, until she finally spoke.

"Emma, I would really appreciate if you—"

"No problem, Madam Mayor. Your secret is safe with me," Emma said as if it was an order, but with a smile on her face.

Regina mirrored the smile and looked down, "Thank you."

Emma stared for a moment. She had heard those words from her a million times before, Regina was very polite after all, but she had never heard that pure honesty and relief in them. She nodded and the seatbelt sign turned off. Everyone stood up at once and Regina cleared her throat.

"Well Miss Swan, are you going to sit there all day? We have a map to retrieve."

Emma rolled her eyes and stood up, missing Regina's smile as she did.


End file.
